Bath system



Dec. 27, 1949 R. L.. BAILEY 2,492,913

BATH SYSTEM Filed April 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. L. BAILEY Dec. 27, 1949 BATH SYSTEM Filed .April 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ffii Patented Dec. 27, 1949 UNITED TATE S FAT ENT OFFICE 2,492,913

BATH SYSTEM Russell L. Bailey, North Hollywood, Calif. Application April 2, 1945, Serial No. 586,148

(Cl. ll--146) '5 Claims. A11

This invention relates toa bathing system and an apparatus .by which thelsystem-may be practiced, and more Aparticularly to a system oi bathing of such .character .that .the .bather is protected from Ythe .usualdiscomierts Land dangers to health arising ,from too sudden changes `of temperature and humidity.

In the `present ,day practice, .the bather ,enters a bath room whichis 4ata temperature lower than is generally ,comfortable when .disrobed, although heat is usually introduced .into ,the room. However, the temperature of the Aroem is, =ordinanuy many degrees lower than .the .temperature of the water which the 1021151161 will use. This is also true of the temperature of the ti1in g, -metal,por celain or other partsof Athe room, land-as -a result of the difference in temperature, `condensation and fog are immediately7 created when the water of higher temperature is ,turned Qn. Upon leaving the bath, .the bather is xagain subjected to .the lower temperature 10i the .momrtlul'ng the act of drying and dressing. Thehumid condition lcreated Vby the Adiffenent temperatures, as .well as the fact that .the pores ,Qf the vbody have been opened .by the higher Vternperature @bath water, may directly aect the hather vwith resultant undesirable effect .on the health.

One object ,of this invention is to provide a system of bathing, and `an anparatus by which such system may be practiced, wherein the bather will be subjected to the same temperature as thatfof the bath Water .throughout'the Aentire act of bathing, which includes ,disrobing entering the bath, leaving Ythe bath, Adrying and dressing.

Another objectpf ,this invention is toproVlde an apparatus which .permits :like temperetures to be accomplished :and to be maintained.

Another :object is te provide such e .system and apparatus for practicing such system which will permit a gradual y,change from the higher temperature to .which the bather :lie been subjected during the act of bathing-.to a temperature the same or Substantially ftheesamefas chatte which the bather will be ,subjected @R011 Qlllpletion -Of the bath.

Another object oi this :iventenris to :provide means which automatically regulate and control the temperatures to accomplish l(die above lmen toned abierta. I

Various other objects and advantageous features of this invention ymaybe 'hadirom thefollowing description, .and maybe seen inthe accompanying drawings wherein similar characters Vof reference designate .corresponding parts, and wherein:

Figure l 'is a perspective View of .the outside ,of the complete apparatus 'by which this :system is practiced.

Figure 2 is a perspective view, partly inelevation and partly in section, showing the arrangement of the apparatus into various Vcompartments, one utilized for disrcbing L'before and dressing after Vthe hath, and the other for lthe actual accomplishment of the bath, such 'flgule also illustrating the means for varying 'the temperatures of the compartments.

Figure 3 is a sectiona'lview showing Atheilow path of the water which is, in the embodiment herein illustrated, utilized vto control the 'temperatures within the compartments of the apparatus. s

Figure 4 is a lschematic View illustrating Lthe means for controlling andregula-ting the `flow fof water, both for the purpose of controlling the temperature of the interior of the compartments or vcabinet and for supplying water for the bath.

As shown in the drawings, theapparatus-consists of a double walled, two-room cabinet L "the walls 2 and 3 of the cabinetform-ing owsp'acesJ- and '.5 therearound. Suc-h cabinet lis separated into two rooms 5 and 1, the roomlfbeing a con.- ditioning and/or drying room, and `the room 1 Vbeing a shower or'bathing room,iby partitioned walls 8 and 9 which are separated to form a flow space l0 therebetween connecting-the flow spaces s and 5 around the cabinet -I. A door Il leads from the outside oi the cabinet into the conditioning or drying room 16, and `'a door `|2 connects the conditioning or drying room 61st/ith the shower or bathing room 1.

Automatically operating means are provided, controlling the temperatureof water owinginto and through the ilow spacesA, 5 and AIllzhetwsl-.een the outside walls 2 kandi` and the partitioned-walls s and. s from the inlet pipe 13, and also f or .controlling the temperatureand amount'of .water which will flow to .and ont of lthe -showerhead .4:4 in .the shower or bathing compartmexrt1V A.auch showerhead 14 being y:preifer.ably .of the type that is adjustable to regulate the amount of water flowing from the showerhead, or close oi the showerhead against flow entirely. A drain pipe I leads from the shower or bathing compartment to a suitable waste pipe I6.

The automatic control means includes a temperature selector I 1, a time selector I8, a temperature compensator I9, a time switch 20, and a relay panel 2| from which conducting wires 22 and 23 lead to a suitable source of electrical energy. Such control means also includes a bath temperature compensator control 24, a room temperature compensator control 25 and a iloat actuated switch 26. All such control parts may be of any well-known type, and all of such parts are suitably interconnected together by proper electrical wiring.

The water supply is provided for by a cold water supply pipe 21 and a hot water supply pipe 28 connected to a pipe 29 leading to the ow spaces between the walls of the cabinet through an inlet 30 and to the showerhead I4 through a pipe 3|, ow being controlled through such latter pipe by an automatically operated valve 32. A pipe 33 for draining the water from between the spaced walls of the apparatus is provided, and flow through this pipe is under the control of an automatically operated valve 34.

In the operation of this apparatus, the temperature and time period of the bath are selected at the master control unit which includes the temperature selector I"I, temperature compensator I9, time selector I8 and time switch 2B. The temperature and time of the bath having been selected by proper setting of the `just explained parts of the master control unit by moving parts thereof to selected positions, the mixing valve 35, which controls the flow of cold and hot water from the pipes 2'I and 28 to the pipe 29, is actuated electrically, through the relay panel 2I and through wires 3B, to the proper position to admit water at the desired temperature to the pipe 29. Such water from this pipe flows through the water inlet 30 to the spaces 4, 5 and I0 between the walls 2, 3, 8 and 9 as indicated by the arrow, and out through a waste pipe 30', and heat from the water dissipated through the inside wall 3 and the partitioned walls 8 and 9 is eiective to bring the temperature of the rooms 6 and 'I to the same temperature as the water, and the temperature will be the same as the water ultimately to ow from the showerhead I4. A signal light 31 is provided in the master control mechanism to indicate when the water is ilowing through the spaces between the walls of the compartment.

The room temperature compensator 25 in the roomA 6 and the bath temperature compensator 24 in the room 'I react to temperature change within the rooms 6 and 1, and upon the temperature in such rooms arriving at that selected, the valve 32 controlling flow from the pipe 29 to the showerhead I4 is m'oved to open position. As shown, the pipe 29 leads to a tank 38 disposed on top of the cabinet and a pipe 39 leads from such tank to the showerhead I4. The purpose of this tank is to prevent a change in the temperature of the bath water which might come about through the opening of a valve in some other part of the main water supply line, and ahead of the mixing valve 35, and also to avoid air pressure at the showerhead, an air vent 40 being provided in the tank 38. A suitable float or other type control disposed in the tank 38 actuates the switch 26 to energize and close the valve 32, thus cutting off iiow of Water to the tank 38. Since water does not ow to the tank 38 until considerable water at the same temperature has flowed around between the Walls of the cabinet, proper temperature of the Water in the tank 38 is assured.

Upon sumcient time having elapsed for the Water owing through the spaces 4, 5 and l0 between the walls 2, 3, 8 and 9 to bring the temperature of the rooms 6 and 'I either substantially to or the same as the temperature of the water, the bather enters the door II in the cabinet I into the room' 6. After disrobing, the bather then enters the room 'I which is at a temperature the same as that of the room 6 and the same as that of the water for the bath. Water from the tank 38 may pass through the showerhead I4 by suitably adjusting the showerhead, and the bath taken. A signal light 4I on the wall of the room 'I is interconnected with the timer 2U, and is so arranged as to indicate that the supply of water in the tank 38 is practically exhausted. This is done by selecting the time period of the bath on the time selector I 8. When the time period selected has elapsed, the time will cause actuation of the automatic valve 32 to close oi flow of water through the pipe 3I to the tank 38.

Upon completion of such part of the bath, the bather enters the drying room 6 through the door l2, and means are provided for gradually reducing the temperature of the room 6 to that of the temperature outside the cabinet. To do this, the timer switch 20 is so arranged as to transfer control of the mixing valve 35 from the bath temperature compensator 24 to the adjoining room temperature compensator 25, and at the same time acts to open the automatic valve 34 whereby water from between the Walls of the cabinet willdrain out through the pipe 33. The room temperature compensator 25 continues to act to cause the mixing valve 35 to send Water of lower temperature through the pipe 29 and the inlet 30 to the spaces between the walls of the cabinet, and so continues to send such lower temperature water between the Walls of the cabinet until the temperature of the room 6 reaches that of the outside temperature, at which time the mixing valve is closed shutting off all ow to the cabinet, the valve 34 remaining open until all of the water has drained out of the spaces between the wallsvof the cabinet.

Referring to the drawings and the preceding description, it will be seen that there is provided a system for bathing, and an apparatus for practicing such system, in which the time period of a bath will be selected, and according to which system the bather, throughout the initial period of the bath, is subjected to the same temperature as to both the atmosphere and the water, and after the bath has been taken and the bather vreaches the stage of drying and dressing, such bather is brought gradually again to the temperature of the atmosphere` outside the apparatus. Thus, there is at no time a rapid or sharp change in temperatures to which the bather is subjected. Another feature of the invention resides in the fact that since the interior of the bath cabinet and the bath water are at the same temperatures, there will be no undesirable steam or condensation formed.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bath system, a cabinet formed by spaced walls, a dividing partition in said cabinet also formed of spaced Walls, the spaced walls of the cabinet and dividing partition being interconnected to form a continuous passage around the cabinet Walls and through the partition wall, means for causing Water at selected temperatures to flow through the spaces formed by the cabinet and partition Walls to bring the interior of the cabinet to a temperature substantially equal to that of the water, and means for supplying bath Water of like temperatures to one of the sections of the cabinet formed by the partition.

2. In a bath system, a cabinet formed by spaced walls, a dividing partition in said cabinet also formed of spaced walls, the spaced Walls of the cabinet and dividing partition being interconnected to form a continuous passage around the cabinet walls and through the partition wall, means for causing water at selected temperatures to iiow through the spaces formed by the cabinet and partition walls to bring the interior of the cabinet to a temperature substantially equal to that of the water. and means for supplying a preselected amount of bath water of like temperatures to one of the sections of the cabinet formed by the partition.

3. In a bath system, a cabinet formed by spaced Walls, a dividing partition in said cabinet also form of spaced Walls, the spaced walls of the cabinet and dividing partition being interconnected to form a continuous passage around the cabinet Walls and through the partition Wall, means for causing water at selected temperatures to ow through the spaces formed by the cabinet and partition walls to bring the interior of the cabinet to a temperature substantially equal to that of the water, means for supplying a preselected amount of bath water of like temperatures to one of the sections of the cabinet formed by the partition, and means arranged to produce a flow of Water through said spaces for reducing the temperature of the other of the sections of the cabinet formed by the partition to that of the outside atmosphere.

4. In a bath system, a cabinet formed by spaced Walls, a dividing partition in said cabinet also formed of spaced walls, the spaced walls of the cabinet and dividing partition being intercon- 6 nected to form a continuous passage around the cabinet Walls and through the partition Wall, means for causing Water at selected temperatures to flow through the spaces formed by the cabinet and partition Walls to bring the interior of the cabinet to a temperature substantially equal to that of the Water, means for supplying a preselected amount of bath water of like temperatures to one of the sections of the cabinet formed by the partition, means arranged to produce a flow of Water through said spaces for reducing the temperature of the other of the sections of the cabinet formed by the partition to that of the outside atmosphere, and automatic regulating means for controlling such temperatures.

5. In a bath system, a cabinet formed by spaced walls, a dividing partition in said cabinet also formed of spaced Walls, the spaced Walls of the cabinet and dividing partition being interconnected to form a continuous passage around the cabinet Walls and through the partition Wall, means for causing water at selected temperatures to flow through the spaces formed by the cabinet and partition Walls to bring the interior of the cabinet to a temperature substantially equal to that of the Water, means for supplying a preselected amount of bath water of like temperatures to one of the sections of the cabinet formed by the partition, means arranged to produce a flow of Water through said spaces for reducing the temperature of the other of the sections of the cabinet formed by the partition to that of the outside atmosphere, and automatic regulating means for controlling such temperatures and the ow 0f Water.

RUSSELL L. BAILEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 54,655 Ware May 8, 1866 275,011 Backus Apr. 3, 1883 511,008 Blunt Dec. 19, 1893 541,371 Marston June 18, 1895 1,855,817 Beauchamp et a1. Apr. 26, 1932 2,174,445 Oliver Sept. 26, 1939 2,260,802 Conrad Oct. 28, 1941 

